Summer Camps 2021 Review
Three Camps in one month!
When we first planned for camps months ago, we thought it was crazy but we knew that we wanted to give kids an art experience before we moved to Ecuador. And it was crazy. But on the last day of the third camp, we had so much joy in our hearts and gratitude for the kids that we got to spend time with. We knew it was worth it.
We started out with all the energy to collect cardboard from local businesses so we could attempt a giant geodome for Architecture Camp. Freedom just had to attempt something huge that the kids would remember. And it was almost a success!
This camp was also so much fun because the kids felt so much maker-energy and, with hot glue handy, they made building structures, a corner of a room, and a collage of Marietta. We looked at amazing architecture and sculptures around the world, ancient and modern. Our desire was to integrate the idea that God has a city and we are looking forward to seeing it one day.
For he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10
Nature camp was all about craftsmanship and we used many natural materials to create a nature collage, a hiking stick, and a bug hotel. I have to say that the highlight of this camp was the hiking stick. God was gracious to provide local resources again.
We took a walk to our nearby park and, to our surprise, we saw a neat pile of myrtle tree branches left behind in a wooded place from Spring’s pruning. It was perfect! Then we went to the park’s bamboo forest to collect bamboo sticks for our bug hotels. These two projects were our most successful. We did worry a little about what glue would work, how the kids were going to debark the branches, and would we have enough time to flatten leaves and flowers? In the end, everything was perfect and thanks to Gorilla hot glue sticks, nothing fell apart. The bug hotels looked amazing with bamboo segments, moss, garden animal figures, and seashells. The hiking sticks looked professional! They were stripped with dollar store vegetable peelers. I thought it was a miracle that only two peelers broke in the process. Our favorite time was sitting outside with them as they peeled, sanded, painted, and carved into their hiking sticks with metal files.
Our final camp, to me, was the best way to wrap up our camps. We didn’t know what God would do in our hearts as we planned, months earlier, but it made perfect sense to end this way. Some of our campers have come to us each year and have literally grown up before our eyes. As I planned for the Around the World Mix Media Camp, I became inspired by folk art from people of different countries.
Our projects included inspiration from Mexican motifs, African textiles, and rain sticks which are found in many countries. But the message God had for us was The Great Commission. Our projects had a purpose: To love the people of this world and to be inspired to share that love. We became living examples to the kids as we shared that we were being called to move to a new country to learn about the people, love them, and share the Gospel.
We told them how much we wanted to provide these fun activities to kids, youth, and families in places where they have never had art camps before.
In the end, our minds and bodies were pretty exhausted, but our faith had grown. Some projects were a great success and others were not as we imagined but what was consistent was the joy and energy that kids infused in their creations. And the best part was how God was at the center of it all, how He provided, and the kids. The kids' love and creativity just give us such a boost of faith that we are on the right track.
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation Mark 16:15
Thank you to all parents and those who supported these camps.
